Ukraine's Defense Minister refuses to stop returning fire in Donbas

Ukrainian Defense Minister Stepan Poltorak said that the Armed Forces of Ukraine will continue to return fire in the Donbas, reports UNIAN news agency.

"We used to respond to the enemy's fire, we are doing it now, and we will continue to respond," he said.

According to Poltorak, the Ukrainian Army will continue to adhere to the Minsk agreements but has the right to "adequately respond" if the positions or lives of its military are under threat. "We won't surrender a single piece of our land to the enemy," said Poltorak.

Earlier, the representative of Ukraine in the contact group for the settlement of the conflict in the Donbas, former Ukrainian President Leonid Kuchma suggested that the counterattacks should stop in the region. According to him, the restrictions should be prescribed legally.

Many Ukrainian politicians criticized the initiative. The Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada, Andriy Parubiy also opposed this proposal. "The prohibition against shooting back is not the way to peace. This is the way to surrender," he claimed.